When Richard Dunne walked into the Queens Park Rangers dressing room for the first time, he was amazed.

The 33-year-old defender had heard all the reports of splits in the team playing a major part in their relegation from the Premier League last season.

It was not enough to put him off the chance to work with manager Harry Redknapp and agree a one-year deal to move to Loftus Road.

And, thankfully, there have been no angry exchanges or moody expressions since he started life at his new club a couple of weeks ago.

Instead, there is a more old-fashioned form of etiquette on show.

Speaking to Standard Sport, Dunne said: “I have never been in a dressing room where every morning everyone shakes each other’s hand before training. Everyone just does it.

“In my experience it is something only French players have done but everyone is doing it and it means that you speak to every player, every day.

“It does create friendships. Of course, people have their best friends in the dressing room but when you see people demanding more of each other and going hard in training, then being friends afterwards, that is the sign of a good dressing room.

“You can push people to be better and they respect you for it. There is no bad blood here.”

That is a remarkable turnaround considering the disarray QPR were in just a few months ago when they finished bottom of the League with a woeful four wins to their name.

In many ways Rangers masterminded their own downfall by signing more than 30 players in the space of two years, some of which were on vastly superior wages to others.

In this window, there have been just four arrivals so far with the biggest name being the £4million signing of Charlie Austin yesterday. Dunne (right) said: “Looking from the outside, the amount of players that came in [in the previous two years] meant it was very difficult to get a settled team or atmosphere in the dressing room.

“Last season obviously wasn’t successful but there is no point in dwelling on it or you’ll simply end up feeling sorry for yourselves thinking that you should be in the Premier League.

“It’s important for people to respect players like Clint Hill and Shaun Derry and understand what the club is all about. It’s not about players who come in for six months and then leave. We’re trying to build something.”

As QPR prepare for their first game in the Championship against Sheffield Wednesday at home tomorrow, Dunne knows from experience how important it is to forget the disappointment of relegation from the Premier League quickly in order to make an immediate return.

He was part of the Manchester City side who lost their place in the top flight in 2001 only to regain it 12 months later when they were crowned champions of the old First Division (now known as the Championship).

“I remember when I was relegated with City and we were in a similar position that Rangers are in now,” he added.

“But we got off to a good start and then momentum was on our side. We had a manager just like Harry Redknapp with a lot of experience in Kevin Keegan. He wanted to play good football and that’s the aim here, too.

“There are so many teams that think they can win promotion but if you can get on a run and start well, it will be a really good place to be.

“We’re the team that has been relegated and a lot of teams will want to prove something against us. They will want to get the better of us. The only way we can get back is by fighting, not thinking we have a right to be there.”

Like QPR, Dunne is also hoping to recover from a year to forget after spending the whole of the last campaign on the sidelines with a groin injury.

While Aston Villa were facing their own struggle to avoid the drop, the centre-half was watching on in frustration. He ended up having three operations on the problem after initially being told that he’d only be ruled out for six weeks.

It is why Dunne has only been given a 12-month deal but he is determined to make sure this season makes up for the last one.

“I think having a year off from playing games could work in my favour,” said Dunne, who should face Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow.

“I have always played a lot of games wherever I have been every season and now I have an opportunity to rebuild.

“I want to get back in the Premier League and do it with QPR. If I am to be here next season it will depend on how many appearances I make this term. It’s another incentive for me to keep fit and play well in order to get another contract.”